Task 1

Question 1

Predisposition

Answer 1

specific genes result in structural and functional brain alterations that, in turn, predispose to antisocial behaviour
o 50% of variance in antisocial behaviour is due to genetics in twins

Question 2

Genes might play a role because of two factors

Answer 2

o The structural brain abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex in patients with antisocial behaviour couldn’t be explained by head injuries, trauma, or drug abuse
o In twin studies they found that 90% of the prefrontal cortex differences can be explained by genes

Question 3

Protein coding in the body

Answer 3

• About a third of protein coding genes are expressed only in the brain, these are most likely to be important for behaviour

Question 4

MAOA

Answer 4

Gene associated with antisocial behaviour and reduction of the volume of ventral prefrontal cortex and amygdala
o Breaks down serotonin

Question 5

Environmental factors

Answer 5

• Environmental factors can influence the gene expression in early life, which I turn alters brain functioning and results in antisocial behaviour
• Genes are responsible for 50% of the variance in anti-social behaviour, but they are not fixed and can be influenced by the environment. (biological factors have a more explanatory role
o So when biological and environmental risk factors combine it is more likely for that person to perform antisocial behaviour

Question 6

Nutrition

Answer 6

poor nutrition in the first 3 years of life has been associated with long-term antisocial behaviour
o Leads to poor brain functioning

Question 7

You are what you eat

Answer 7

It was seen in mice that is pregnant, that if you provide them more methyl groups it can inhibit certain diseases in their children

Question 8

DNA consists of two strands that are held apart by pairs of four bases

Answer 8

Adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine (cytosine and thymine are similar in structure and adenine and guanine are similar in structure)

Question 9

Pairing

Answer 9

Adenine pairs always with thymine and guanine always pairs with cytosine
• The backbone of the string consists of sugar and phosphate molecules

Question 10

Features of Pairing

Answer 10

o Allows DNA to replicate itself

o Direction of synthesis of proteins (enzymes and other proteins)

Question 11

DNA sequence

Answer 11

consists of about 3 billion base pairs, which contain about 25000 protein coding genes (size ranges from about 1000 bases to 2 million bases)

Question 12

Paring DNA

Answer 12

Froward strand starts with 5 prime strand and ends with an 3 prime and the other side Is reversed

Question 13

Codons

Answer 13

various sequence of three basis
o Some amino acids are coded by as many as 6 codons
o Any one of three particular codons signals the end of a transcribed sequence

Question 14

Transcription

Answer 14

The process where the DNA gets copied to mRNA which is single stranded
 Uracil substitutes for thymine
 mRNA leaves the nucleus and enters the cell body (cytoplasm), where It connects with ribosomes

Question 15

Splicing

Answer 15

from RNA to mRNA with the use of splicing only the Exon parts are transcribed to mRNA

Question 16

Alternative splicing

Answer 16

Some Exons can be left out which results in different proteins

Question 17

Translation

Answer 17

From the mRNA to amino acid sequences that form proteins
 Three GUA or UAG are the code for a specific amino acid
 mRNA sequence GUA attracts tRNA with the complementary code CAU
 tRNA transfers its attached amino acid valine, which is then bonded to the growing chain of amino acids

Question 18

DNA-replication

Answer 18

o DNA polymerase: The unsipped DNA is filled up with complementary free nucleotides. It always goes from 5 to 3
o Okosaki fragments: The parts of the DNA that have to be connected after DNA polymerase because of the direction

Question 19

Epigenetics

Answer 19

the study of mechanisms that change gene expression by modifying DNA without modifying its sequence of bases (represents only one class of potential mechanisms for altering in gene activity)

Question 20

Methylation of DNA

Answer 20

tagging specific points in the DNA molecule with a methyl group. Usually silences genes
o Governs developmental processes such as X chromosome inactivation in mammal embryos (relatively stable and long lasting)

Question 21

Modification of Histones

Answer 21

Histone methylation characteristically tightens up DNA, restricting access to genes. Acetylation makes genes more available for activation (more labile and reversible)

Question 22

Non-coding RNA

Answer 22

Only 2% of the DNA are translated into proteins, 90% are translated into noncoding RNA

Question 23

Mitosis

Answer 23

2 new cells are created that are identical to the first cell (2n2n)
 Ongoing process

Question 24

Meiosis

Answer 24

reduction from diploid to haploid cells (2n1n)
 End up with one copy
 Sex/germ cells

Question 25

Transcription initiation complex

Answer 25

must be fully assembled on promotor sequence for polymerase to begin transcribing

Question 26

control elements

Answer 26

segments of noncoding DNA that serve as binding sites for transcription factors
 Enhancers – distal control elements (unique combination)
 Can influence transcription indirectly by recruiting (de)acetylation proteins

Question 27

hormone receptor complex

Answer 27

every gene whose transcription is stimulated by a particular hormone (no matter its chromosomal location) has control elements recognised by that hormone receptor complex

Question 28

independent segregation

Answer 28

when 2 genes reside on different chromosomes they segregate independently  never linked